


How the Hermit Became Human

by cyanspade



Category: Voltage Inc - Fandom, Voltage Inc. - All Media Types, 怪盗Ｘ恋の予告状 | Kaitou X Koi no Yokokujou | Love Letter from Thief X
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Developing Relationship, F/M, Falling In Love, Feelings, Jealousy, Self-Discovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-04
Updated: 2017-01-04
Packaged: 2018-09-14 17:33:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9196262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyanspade/pseuds/cyanspade
Summary: Takuto didn’t really have a reason to wake up every day until he met her. He comes to realize a few things about himself, some more surprising than others.





	

* * *

**I.**

Waking up every day was a pain.

After all, there wasn’t much to look forward to past the rise and shine. All he ever had waiting for him were codes to crack and time to kill— _like I’ve ever had anything else._

People were an even bigger pain. They’d harp on and on about every _damn_ thing, and they just wouldn’t leave him be.  At least computers didn’t complain.

Having to deal with breathing organisms was—no—is a pain in the ass.

“You won’t get girlfriend if you keep that up, you know.” Riki would smugly say. “Try being less of a hermit, and more of a—you know— _human being_. You can’t always be a loner.”

_Well, the joke’s on you, ‘cause in order for me to feel insulted, I’d have to value your opinion._

The companionship of a computer screen was more than enough, anyway.

**II.**

_God, how irritating._

Somehow, Takuto always seemed to have the worst of luck when it came to anything random. He— _of all the guys in this friggin’ room_ —was now stuck babysitting the newbie chick.

“I-I’ll try my best not to get in your way.” She says, too afraid to look him in the eye.

He glares back at her. “You’d better not. Like I’d wanna deal with an annoying girl—“

_Who won’t even look at me, no less._

“Haha, have fun, you two!”

“Takkun, go easy on her, okay~?”

With the inclusion of the newest Black Fox, Takuto’s night was now a growing migraine. Another one to add to the list of headaches. The guys’ jeering didn’t help, either. _Just what I needed to end my day._

Before calling it a night, he steals a glance at her. She was still tense from their earlier exchange, but her guard was somewhat lowered after all the alcohol. It takes a while before their eyes meet, and she quickly looks away, head down and all.

He didn’t know why that bothered him.

_Tch. What a pain._

**III.**

Their first mission with her went by without a hitch. The painting was secured, no one got hurt, no one got caught, and all was well.

_But it would’ve been better if_ someone _didn’t ask so many questions. Ugh, now I’m tired as hell._

While the others were out retrieving the painting, she stayed in the van with him, thanks to “babysitting” duties. She was curious about every little thing, and the questions kept on coming, much to his dismay.

“Well, my job’s pretty much like this.” He gestures to his laptop. “Aside from being mission control, I just hack into security systems to make sure the coast is clear. The job gets done faster, and I get to go home faster. Win-win.”

“That’s pretty impressive! I don’t really understand the numbers on the screen, but I guess you’re really good at whatever you’re doing.” She says with a look of admiration.

“…Yeah, well, it’s not that hard, really.” _Anyone can hack into paper bag if they tried—_

“That’s probably why everyone else calls you the smartest one here! I can see why.” She’s still beaming at him.

_—but I guess it’s not so bad if someone compliments it._

He doesn’t realize the sudden tinge of red on his cheeks.

**IV.**

He somehow ends up stuck with her a lot lately. Whether it be just a mission, or lunch at some restaurant, he finds himself with her.

_Just a coincidence, that’s all._ He’d remind himself while his footsteps are already on the way to the museum.

Though what bothers him most about the whole thing is how he _isn’t_ bothered at all. He tries to push that thought to the deepest recesses of his mind, saying he’ll get over it soon.

Probably.

**V.**

She’s a lot more comfortable around him now, even engaging in snark-to-snark combat with him. Although he’d never admit it, he preferred her this way as compared to the nervous person she was when she first joined.

The guys’ teasing, however, irritated him to no end. _Can’t they just mind their own damn business?!_

“Oh-hoh! It’s the husband and wife comedy team! You two are freakin’ hilarious!”

“Yeah, I’ve never seen Takkun so hyped up before!”

“Ugh, grow bald and turn into pigs, you idiots.” He tries to cover up his now-red face.

“Oooh, somebody’s embarrassed. Heh. Didn’t know you liked her that mu—“

“Shut up, Riki! Why would I like someone as nasty as her?!” Takuto interjects with a growing blush.

_She’s a clumsy airhead who steals my precious pork noodles—_

“If that’s the case, then I’m sure you won’t mind if I ask her out.”

“…!”

_…Are you kidding me?_

“No, she’s too busy for egos as big as yours.” And with that, Takuto storms out of Le Renard Noir, with a scowl chilling enough to frighten children.

_Why the hell am I getting so worked up about this?_

**VI** _._

Takuto was never really an empath. He didn’t really pride himself in sensing the emotions of others, nor did he want to engage in heart-to-heart talks with anyone. It was too much effort.

In spite of that, he did notice that she wore different kinds of smiles all the time. There was the excited smile for missions, the amused smile for everyone’s antics, the holy-crap-I-didn’t-know-you-could-do-that smile for when he showed her something new, the satisfied smile for finishing a bowl of pork noodles—

_Too many to name them all._

But there was one smile he absolutely detested seeing, and he’d been seeing it a lot lately.

It was the self-deprecating smile.

He didn’t understand why he didn’t like it. All he knew was that there was no reason for her to apologize for everything and criticize herself so often. Every time she’d put herself down, he’d feel twinge of anger somewhere inside him, and he couldn’t explain why.

_You’re not as shitty as I am, so please don’t hate yourself._

**VII.**

He felt pretty empty without her around. Parting ways after a mission secretly saddened him, since he’d have to go home— _alone and not with her._

_—Wait._

_Do I… need her with me?_

**VIII.**

Sometimes, he’d have to suppress the urge to pull her by the hand and run outside Le Renard Noir. For some reason, he hated seeing the guys go within three feet of her. Beardy’s fortune-telling antics, Hiro’s excessive glomping, Kenshi’s hair-ruffling—

Not to mention Riki’s shameless flirting.

“Tch! You idiots better stop pulling the moves on her—“

_—because she’s mine._

**IX.**

Just looking at her made his emotional spectrum go berserk. He was sure he never experienced feeling so many things welling up inside him at once. Admiration, jealousy, infatuation, amusement, melancholy—they were alien to him up until now.

There was also this other new feeling. He could only describe it as a weird combination of all the others, yet it was somehow different altogether—

_Love?_

And that was the moment he realized he evolved from hermit to human.

**X.**

_Look, I’m not gonna say this out loud or anything, but yeah._

_I’m lonely when you’re not with me._

_I’m pissed when you’re with someone else._

_I can’t think of anything else except you, and I’m trying to do something about it, I swear to god—_

_I just—_

_…love you, okay?_

_So please don’t ever leave me._

_Please._

**XI.**

This is why he hated everything.  The only time he realized his emotions, the only time he acknowledged his flaws, the only time he stopped being his usual apathetic, asshole self and became a better person—

“S-she died trying to push you out of the way… I’m sorry, Takuto…”

The anger eventually subsided and turned into weariness. Suddenly, he just wanted to go home, to lie down, close his eyes, and never wake up again. Maybe he’d see her again.

After all, anything without her in it—

_—was just a pain._


End file.
